The Real Women Real Business Podcast

What if your business is working on paper, but your body is telling a very different story?

In this episode of The Real Women Real Business Podcast, Shauna Lynn Simon sits down with Christina Kantzavelos, a California licensed psychotherapist, writer, chronic illness advocate, and founder of Begin Within Today and WithinMe. After severe Lyme disease and complex chronic illness forced Christina to rebuild her life, identity, and career, she developed a powerful perspective on ambition, burnout, boundaries, and sustainable success.

Christina explains how survival mode shows up in high-achieving women, including overfunctioning, people pleasing, perfectionism, freezing, and fawning. She also shares why boundaries can feel impossible to hold when the nervous system does not feel safe, and what it really takes to create a business that supports your health instead of depleting it.

Listeners will walk away with practical nervous system tools, a more compassionate lens for burnout recovery, and permission to redefine success in a way that protects their capacity, relationships, and wellbeing.

Timestamps:
(01:50) - (06:45) - Why survival mode impacts your body, business, and sense of safety
(06:46) - (12:35) - Fight, flight, freeze, fawn, and the hidden signs of chronic stress
(12:36) - (19:00) - Why boundaries fail when your nervous system is dysregulated
(19:01) - (26:30) - Nervous system regulation tools for a normal entrepreneurial day
(26:31) - (32:25) - Stress management, journaling, voice notes, and celebrating small wins
(32:26) - (47:17) - Chronic illness, identity loss, rest, support, and rebuilding with intention

Resources:

• Book Your FREE Coaching Assessment Call with Shauna Lynn: https://www.aboutshaunalynn.com/coachme
• Learn more about the show: AboutShaunaLynn.com/podcast
• Get 15% off any journal from Begin Within Today (Use code RWRB): https://www.beginwithintoday.com/journal
• The Gap and The Gain by Dan Sullivan and Dr. Benjamin Hardy: https://amzn.to/4e6efj7

Connect with Christina Kantzavelos:

• Learn more about Christina: https://www.beginwithintoday.com/
• Begin Within Today Journal: https://www.beginwithintoday.com/journal
• WithinMe: https://www.withinmeapp.com/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/beginwithintoday
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/beginwithintoday/
• YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@Beginwithintoday
• Email: [email protected]

Christina P. Kantzavelos, LCSW, is a California licensed psychotherapist, writer, chronic illness advocate, and the founder of Begin Within Today and WithinMe. After developing severe Lyme disease and complex chronic illness while doing humanitarian work overseas, Christina had to rebuild her life, identity, and career from the ground up. Her work now supports people navigating chronic illness, trauma, burnout, identity loss, and nervous system dysregulation through trauma-informed and somatic approaches. Living nomadically between Portugal and Greece, Christina brings a unique perspective to entrepreneurship, resilience, boundaries, and creating meaningful success without sacrificing wellbeing.

What makes a home staging business truly sellable?

Many home stagers assume that if their calendar is full, their inventory is moving, and revenue is strong, their business must be valuable to a buyer. But what if that's not the whole story?

In this episode of The Real Women Real Business Podcast mini-series, How to Sell Your Home Staging Business, Shauna Lynn Simon breaks down one of the most important concepts business owners need to understand before they ever think about selling: a busy business is not always a sellable business.

Listeners will learn how buyers evaluate a home staging business differently than owners do, why owner-operated and owner-dependent are not the same thing, and what creates confidence or concern during the sale process. Shauna Lynn also shares the five key things every buyer needs to believe before they are willing to invest in a business, along with practical questions that can help owners identify hidden risks and opportunities within their company today.

Whether selling is years away or simply an option you'd like to preserve, this episode will help you build a stronger, more transferable, and more valuable business now while preparing for whatever comes next.

If this episode sparks questions about your own business, be sure to grab the free Sell Ready ebook and continue following this series as Shauna Lynn explores the numbers, systems, inventory, and buyer conversations that influence business value and saleability.

Timestamps:
(00:08) - (04:42) - Why a busy staging business is not always a sellable business
(04:43) - (09:21) - How buyers evaluate your business differently than you do
(09:22) - (13:33) - The difference between owner operated and owner dependent
(13:34) - (18:53) - The five things a buyer needs to believe before they buy
(18:54) - (23:36) - Why your business needs a clear, transferable story
(23:37) - (25:15) - Free sell-ready resources and what buyers care about next

Resources:

• Get your "Is Your Home Staging Business Sellable?" ebook free when you use promo code SELL100: https://slsacademy.com/sellready
• Learn more about the Sell Your Staging Business Bootcamp (and claim your spot): https://slsacademy.com/sellyourbiz
• Read the blog on the 4 Different Types of Business Buyers: https://www.slsacademy.com/how-to-sell-your-staging-business-buyer-types/

Could your home staging business be sold if life, burnout, or a major opportunity forced you to make a move sooner than expected?

In this first episode of a special mini-series for home stagers, How to Sell Your Home Staging Business, Shauna Lynn Simon opens an important conversation for stagers who have wondered what happens to their business when they are ready to step away. She explains why exit readiness is not the same as selling, and why preparing now can make a staging business stronger, more profitable, and easier to run today.

Listeners will learn why buyer-ready financials, transferable systems, clean processes, inventory clarity, and owner independence matter long before a sale is on the table. Shauna Lynn also reframes business value through a buyer’s lens, helping owners understand what makes a staging business appealing, what can weaken buyer confidence, and why waiting until selling feels urgent can leave money behind.

Tune in to start thinking more strategically about the business you are building, whether you plan to sell soon, years from now, or never.

Timestamps:
(00:09) - (04:48) - Why exit readiness matters before you are ready to sell
(04:49) - (09:27) - The exit readiness test every staging business owner should ask
(09:28) - (14:00) - Why waiting until you have to sell can cost you money and leverage
(14:01) - (20:59) - What buyers are really looking for when they evaluate a staging business
(21:00) - (27:55) - The five key areas that make a staging business more sellable
(27:56) - (31:31) - How exit readiness can make your business stronger even if you never sell

 Resources:

• Get your "Is Your Home Staging Business Sellable?" ebook free when you use promo code SELL100: https://slsacademy.com/sellready
• Learn more about the Sell Your Staging Business Bootcamp (and claim your spot): https://slsacademy.com/sellyourbiz

In this episode of The Real Women Real Business Podcast, Shauna Lynn Simon explores how money pressure quietly influences pricing, boundaries, client decisions, follow-ups, and the way entrepreneurs show up in their businesses. Instead of focusing only on money mindset or affirmations, Shauna Lynn breaks down the practical decision-making patterns that cause business owners to discount, overdeliver, accept poor-fit clients, or avoid revenue-generating actions.

Shauna Lynn shares why not all revenue is good revenue, how urgency can create expensive choices, and why survival mode is not the same as strategy. Through real examples around pricing, overdue invoices, unexpected expenses, and cash flow pressure, Shauna Lynn helps listeners reframe financial decisions with more clarity and confidence.

If money stress has been making your business feel heavier than it needs to, this episode will help you pause, ask better questions, and make decisions that protect your profit, energy, and long-term growth.

Timestamps:
(01:49) - (06:30) - The money question that changes how you make business decisions
(06:31) - (13:34) - Why saying yes under financial pressure can become expensive
(13:35) - (20:22) - The difference between wanting revenue and needing revenue
(20:23) - (27:26) - Pricing from fear, discounting, and why confidence needs clarity
(27:27) - (34:26) - Revenue-generating actions and how to handle unexpected expenses
(34:27) - (39:20) - Questions to ask before making financially charged decisions

 Resources:

• Book Your FREE Coaching Assessment Call with Shauna Lynn: https://www.aboutshaunalynn.com/coachme
• Learn more about the show: AboutShaunaLynn.com/podcast
• Learn more about The Real Women Real Business Mastery Program: https://realwomenrealbusiness.com
• Ep 100: Why People Pleasing Is Burning You Out and How to Set Boundaries Without Guilt: https://www.aboutshaunalynn.com/rwrb-podcast-episodes/people-pleasing

Something a little different is coming to The Real Women Real Business Podcast!In this short preview, Shauna Lynn Simon introduces a special mini-series created specifically for home stagers who have ever wondered what it could look like to sell their business someday - or simply want to build a business that is stronger, more transferable, and easier to run.

Across the series, Shauna Lynn will walk through the key areas staging business owners need to understand before selling, including exit readiness, buyer expectations, financials, valuation, inventory, systems, transferability, and the sale process itself.

While this series is designed with home stagers in mind, there is value here for any business owner who wants to plan for the future and make smarter decisions now.

This is not about pushing you to sell before you’re ready. It’s about helping you understand what makes a business more sell-ready, so you can create more options for whatever comes next.

Follow along with the mini-series here:
https://aboutshaunalynn.com/sybpodcast

In this episode of The Real Women Real Business Podcast, Shauna Lynn Simon sits down with Joy Lynskey, Founder and CEO of Jewel Toned Interiors, to explore what it really takes to build a team culture rooted in creativity, contribution, and accountability. Joy shares how her background in psychology shaped the way she leads, why her team uses simple daily huddles and deep quarterly meetings, and how she has created a business where people are expected to bring ideas, own outcomes, and learn from mistakes.

Listeners will walk away with practical ways to reduce the boomerang effect of delegation, move beyond reactive leadership, and create stronger systems for communication, trust, and decision-making. Joy also offers a powerful perspective on integrity, culture fit, work-life harmony, and using leadership to create meaningful ripple effects.

If you are ready to build a team that grows with you instead of depending on you, this episode is a must-listen.

Timestamps:
(01:50) - (06:30) - Joy’s path from psychology to interior design and why human behavior shapes her leadership
(06:31) - (13:15) - Daily huddles, team charters, and creating rituals that invite contribution
(13:16) - (17:25) - Hiring for culture, accountability, and redefining integrity inside a team
(17:26) - (25:15) - Mistakes, ownership, playbooks, and how to stop rescuing your team
(25:16) - (36:30) - Role playing client conversations and building confidence without lowering standards
(36:31) - (49:10) - Work-life harmony, ripple effects, and Joy’s advice for leaders building stronger cultures

 Resources:

• Book Your FREE Coaching Assessment Call with Shauna Lynn: https://www.aboutshaunalynn.com/coachme
• Learn more about the show: AboutShaunaLynn.com/podcast
• Complimentary Virtual Design Consultation for 1 Hour (Mention podcast when booking through this link): https://jeweltoned.com/contact-us/
• No Rules Rules: Netflix and the Culture of Reinvention by Reed Hastings and Erin Meyer: https://amzn.to/4dwJZ0G

 Connect with Joy Lynskey:

• Jewel Toned Interiors: https://jeweltoned.com/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jtidesignstudio
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jeweltonedinteriors/
• YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@jeweltonedinteriors3352
• Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/jtidesignstudio/
• Email: [email protected]

Joy Lynskey is the Founder and CEO of Jewel Toned Interiors, a women-owned interior design studio based in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. With experience across luxury multifamily, workplace, wellness, residential, and community-centered projects, Joy blends creative vision with operational discipline to create stronger outcomes for clients and teams. Her leadership is shaped by a deep interest in psychology, collaboration, and the human side of design. In 2023, Joy became the first woman President of the Construction Executives Association, bringing a more inclusive and purpose-driven lens to the construction and built environment industries. As a mother of four, business owner, and advocate for intentional leadership, Joy is passionate about helping people contribute meaningfully at work and beyond.

In this episode of The Real Women Real Business Podcast, Shauna Lynn Simon sits down with Danielle Kepics to talk about leaving conventional medicine, trusting your instincts, and building a business that actually aligns with your life and values. Danielle shares how years of working inside traditional healthcare pushed her toward entrepreneurship, and why starting messy was one of the best decisions she ever made.

Together, they unpack the pressure women feel to stay in “safe” careers, the importance of boundaries, and why charging based on value instead of time can completely change the sustainability of a business. Danielle also opens up about building confidence, listening to gut instincts, and creating systems that protect energy instead of draining it.

Listeners will walk away with practical mindset shifts around pricing, entrepreneurship, boundaries, and trusting themselves enough to build something different.

If you’ve been waiting until you feel “ready,” this episode may be the push you needed.
 
Timestamps:
(01:50) - (08:40) - Why Danielle Kepics left conventional medicine and chose entrepreneurship
(08:41) - (18:10) - Starting messy, trusting intuition, and building a business before feeling ready
(18:11) - (29:20) - Charging based on value instead of trading time for money
(29:21) - (37:00) - Confidence, pricing, and overcoming fear in business ownership
(37:01) - (44:50) - Boundaries, protecting energy, and creating sustainable success
(44:51) - (52:22) - The truth about security, risk, and starting before everything is perfect
 
Resources:

• Book Your FREE Coaching Assessment Call with Shauna Lynn: https://www.aboutshaunalynn.com/coachme
• Learn more about the show: AboutShaunaLynn.com/podcast
• Get Danielle Kepics’ FREE Perimenopause Quiz: https://www.tryinteract.com/share/quiz/69bc7d13da5211ffd6e5879c
• Get Danielle Kepics’ FREE HRT Myths Guide: https://www.empoweredmedicine.co/myths
• Get Danielle Kepics’ FREE Build Your Business Guide: https://unconventional-collaborative.kit.com/d39952c78d
• Ep 95: Why Positive Thinking Isn’t Enough and What Actually Creates Breakthroughs with Rusty Osborne: https://www.aboutshaunalynn.com/rwrb-podcast-episodes/create-breakthroughs
• Ep 115: Why the Loudest Business Advice Is Not Always the Smartest Move: https://www.aboutshaunalynn.com/rwrb-podcast-episodes/loudest-advice

 
Connect with Danielle Kepics:

• Learn more about Danielle: https://www.empoweredmindbody.com
• Empowered Medicine: https://www.empoweredmedicine.com
• Unconventional Collaborative: https://www.unconventionalcollaborative.com
• Instagram: @danielle.kepics
• Instagram: @empowered.medicine
• Instagram: @unconventional.collaborative
• Strong + Unfiltered Podcast: https://open.spotify.com/show/52cLdv7HkBQ0Z8EZYpirSS?si=cJFmhnpZR5egyBzAHqxujA 

Danielle Kepics is the founder of Empowered Mind + Body and Empowered Medicine, as well as co-founder of Unconventional Collaborative, a virtual mastermind supporting practitioners and coaches in growing their businesses. With more than a decade of experience as a physician assistant and advanced training in counseling psychology, functional health, nutrition, fitness, and fertility education, Danielle blends medical expertise with a deeply personalized approach to women’s health. Her work focuses on helping clients improve hormones, digestion, energy, nervous system regulation, and overall well-being through sustainable lifestyle changes and root-cause support.

In this episode of The Real Women Real Business Podcast, Shauna Lynn Simon challenges the pressure to constantly chase the latest strategies, trends, and expert advice. For many entrepreneurs, especially “Accidental CEOs,” growth doesn’t stall because of a lack of knowledge, but because they begin to doubt what has already been working in their business.

Shauna Lynn breaks down how learning can quietly turn into second-guessing, and why blindly following loud or confident voices often leads to building a business that no longer feels aligned. She introduces a powerful way to filter advice, focusing on principles rather than copying tactics, and explains how to combine proven frameworks with your own real-world experience.

Listeners will walk away with a clearer understanding of how to make strategic decisions that support their strengths, values, and capacity, instead of chasing every new idea that shows up online.

If you’ve been feeling pulled in too many directions, this episode will help you refocus, simplify, and move forward with confidence.

Timestamps:
(01:50) - (06:30) - Why entrepreneurs start doubting what already works
(06:31) - (13:00) - The problem with trends, hacks, and “the only thing that works”
(13:01) - (20:50) - The guru effect and why loud advice creates confusion
(20:51) - (27:30) - How to filter strategies through your own business
(27:31) - (37:20) - Adapting frameworks instead of copying them exactly
(37:21) - (49:10) - A practical exercise to refocus on what actually works

Resources:

• Book Your FREE Coaching Assessment Call with Shauna Lynn: https://www.aboutshaunalynn.com/coachme
• Learn more about the show: AboutShaunaLynn.com/podcast

In this episode of The Real Women Real Business Podcast, Shauna Lynn Simon sits down with Tre Balchowsky to reframe what public speaking and storytelling really mean for entrepreneurs. Rather than being reserved for big stages or polished speakers, Tre explains how these are practical, learnable skills that directly impact sales, partnerships, and team growth.

Through real examples and simple frameworks, she breaks down how stories help potential clients see themselves in a new reality, why repetition is essential for your message to stick, and how most entrepreneurs already have the raw material they need but are not using it intentionally. She also introduces a practical way to start capturing and shaping everyday moments into powerful, client-attracting narratives.

Listeners will walk away with a clearer understanding of how to communicate their value, simplify their messaging, and use storytelling as a high-impact strategy without adding more to their workload.

If you’ve been overthinking your marketing or avoiding visibility, this episode offers a grounded way to move forward with confidence.

Timestamps:
(01:50) - (06:30) - Redefining public speaking and why it matters for every entrepreneur
(06:31) - (12:00) - Why repetition and clear messaging are essential for visibility
(12:01) - (18:30) - The role of storytelling in sales partnerships and hiring
(18:31) - (26:00) - How to find stories in everyday moments and experiences
(26:01) - (34:30) - Turning stories into marketing content and client connections
(34:31) - (44:20) - Why public speaking is a high ROI strategy and how to start

Resources:

• Book a FREE Story Finder Session: bit.ly/rwrbstory
• Learn more about Tre: https://www.trebalchowsky.com
• Join Tre’s newsletter: https://trebalchowsky.com/permission-to-experiment/
• Ep 41: Crafting Brand Messages That Convert With Deb Mitchell: https://www.aboutshaunalynn.com/rwrb-podcast-episodes/crafting-brand-messages
• Book Your FREE Coaching Assessment Call with Shauna Lynn: https://www.aboutshaunalynn.com/coachme
• Learn more about the show: AboutShaunaLynn.com/podcast

 Connect with Tre Balchowsky:

• Learn more about Tre: https://www.trebalchowsky.com
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/trebalchowsky/

Tre Balchowsky is a storytelling and public speaking coach who helps founders and entrepreneurs build influence, communicate clearly, and close clients or funding through powerful messaging. With over 15 years of experience in digital storytelling and communication strategy, she has supported clients in delivering TED and TEDx talks and securing over $142 million in funding. Her work focuses on helping entrepreneurs find their voice, shape their ideas into compelling narratives, and confidently share them on stages, podcasts, and beyond.

In this episode of The Real Women Real Business Podcast, Shauna Lynn Simon sits down with Carrie KC West to explore how hidden internal narratives shape the way entrepreneurs lead, make decisions, and grow their businesses. For many “Accidental CEOs,” these stories were never consciously chosen, yet they quietly influence everything from confidence to client relationships.

Carrie introduces the concept of narrative coaching and explains how patterns, perspectives, and past experiences can create repeated cycles that keep women playing small or stuck in roles that no longer fit. She shares how awareness is the first step to change and why trying to force transformation without understanding the underlying story often leads to frustration.

Listeners will walk away with practical ways to identify limiting patterns, interrupt reactive thinking, and begin shifting their perspective in a way that feels grounded and sustainable.

If you’ve ever asked yourself why the same challenges keep showing up, this episode will help you start seeing the answers more clearly.

Timestamps:
(01:50) - (07:30) - What narrative coaching is and how identity shapes leadership
(07:31) - (14:20) - The Accidental CEO mindset and the identity gap women face
(14:21) - (23:30) - How internal stories create conflict across different roles
(23:31) - (32:20) - Recognizing patterns and the stories that keep repeating
(32:21) - (41:00) - Micro moments of change and interrupting reactive thinking
(41:01) - (50:10) - Awareness, perspective shifts, and rewriting your story

Resources:

• Book Your FREE Coaching Assessment Call with Shauna Lynn: https://www.aboutshaunalynn.com/coachme
• Learn more about the show: AboutShaunaLynn.com/podcast
• Book a 30-Minute Story Session with Carrie: https://carriekcwest.com
• Get the book Triggers by Marshall Goldsmith: https://amzn.to/4sUevWJ
• Get the book Not Nice by Dr. Aziz Gazipura: https://amzn.to/4uh78d4

Connect with Carrie KC West:
Learn more about Carrie: https://carriekcwest.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/carriekcwest/
Instagram: @storytellers_acad
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@carriekc33
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/carriekcwest/

Carrie KC West is an author, speaker, and narrative coach, and the founder of The Life Rewrite System. She helps entrepreneurs and leaders uncover the hidden stories influencing how they think, lead, and make decisions so they can consciously choose new paths forward. With a background in filmmaking and counseling psychology, Carrie blends storytelling with deep behavioral insight to guide clients toward greater clarity, confidence, and alignment in both business and life.